Business Feeds

It’s official – there is no apostrophe in Harveys.

Campaigners are calling for the brewery, based in Cliffe High Street, Lewes, to spell its name consistently across the brand.

Brighton-based Jonathan Cook at the Apostrophe Protection Society has launched a Facebook campaign called ‘Campaign for Harvey(‘)s Brewery’s apostrophe consistency’.

He has posted pictures of pumps at the Poet’s Corner pub in Montgomery Street, Hove, which shows an aberrant apostrophe in Harveys Best Bitter.

He said: “It looks like the proof reader has got it wrong.”

Mr Cook claimed there are examples of other pubs where the spelling of the brand is contradictory.

Another member of the Facebook group said the campaign ought to win the backing of CAMRA – the Campaign for the Right Apostrophe.

Bill Inman, marketing boss at Harveys, said he was not aware of the Facebook campaign and insisted there are no plans to change the spelling of the company name.

He said: “There is no apostrophe in Harveys. If one appears Read more…

In franchising news, a California Mexican restaurant with just about 20 locations in Southern California and Arizona will look to branch out and is seeking new franchisees through their national program.

“Outside of San Diego … no one does Mexican food like we do,” said Javier Correa, vice president of the company. “We want people outside of Southern California to experience what we do best: Serve San Diego-style, fresh and authentic Mexican dishes in a clean and welcoming environment.”

The company said there are varied franchise options open to business owners who want to take advantage, from gas stations to traditional drive-thru locations.

Locations of the restaurant, which has been open since the 1960s, typically open early and close late. M

Read more…

While deal sites have brought mixed news for small businesses, a new survey from PriceGrabber, a part of Experian, shows that 59 percent of consumers use a daily deal site for holiday or special occasion gifts.

About 60 percent of respondents said they use the sites to buy gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah, while 59 percent said they use the sites to buy a gift for birthdays. An additional 23 percent said they plan to purchase anniversary gifts using daily deal sites.

PriceGrabber survey results found that 31 percent of consumers purchase one to four deals per month and 15 percent buy one or more per week. About 63 percent of consumers polled in the survey said they spend 30 minutes or less sifting through local deal sites.

Shoppers surveyed said they want to see savings, but 37 percent said they dont have a specific savings requirement.

Read more…

INDIANAPOLIS — The Office of Utility Consumer Counselor says Duke has not demonstrated any budgetary constraints on the southwest Indiana project. The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that the agency says there “appears to be a lack of responsibility or accountability on the part of those causing these multimillion-dollar cost overruns.” The agency argues that escalating costs have been borne by ratepayers with benefits going to Duke shareholders.

Duke has not formally replied to the office’s testimony. But Duke spokeswoman Angeline Protogere told the Indianapolis Business Journal on Friday that Duke has “prudently and diligently” managed plant costs.

The state agency representing utility ratepayers is blasting Duke Energy Corp. f

Read more…

People who own and operate small businesses may have been overlooked in the past. Not attracted by large budgets and complex demands of large enterprises, the security industry has not focused on providing security for small businesses. Today situation begin changing and you can find affordable security systems and technique.

The safety of small businesses do have an advantage. Needing a small staff and had lower turnover than larger firms, the risk of small companies for internal theft is much less, reducing the need for inventory tracking and monitoring for classroom rest and storage areas.

Read more…

Berkery Noyes, the independent investment bank specializing in the information content and technology industries, today released its Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for the Online & Mobile Industry.

The report analyzes merger and acquisition activity in the segment across 1st Half 2011 and compares it with activity for the four previous sixth-month periods from 2009-2010.

According to Berkery Noyes research, the Online & Mobile Industry’s robust growth over the past two and a half years continued across the last six months. Total volume in 1st Half 2011 increased by 23 percent over the previous six-month period, from 643 transactions to 788. T

Read more…

With small business startup news mostly negative as far as bank lending is concerned, the majority of female small business owners have taken to financing their businesses with credit cards and their personal savings, according to a recent survey by PNC Financial Services Group.

The survey found that 59 percent of female small business owners used a business credit card and 44 percent used personal or family savings to fund their businesses.

Of the 1,300 female small business owners surveyed, 11 percent said their businesses were surpassing expectations. About half said their businesses were meeting expectations, and 51 percent said they expect their sales to increase.

“Our womens survey findings reinforce that the U.S.

Read more…

EVANSVILLE — Dual drive-through lanes are turning heads at the newly remodeled McDonald’s Hamburgers at 2960 Covert Ave.

The lanes, aimed at speeding on-the-go service, are located in the area where orders are placed.

A part of McDonald’s latest prototype, the lanes then narrow to one lane at the approach to the pay and food-serving windows.

The re-design is described by McDonald’s corporate officials as a part of its effort to “contemporize the chain.”

The modernization is being carried out across the nation, said McDonald’s spokeswoman Jessica Turner by phone from Nashville, Tenn. Soon the movement will hit Princeton, Ind., where the McDonald’s at 2001 W. Broadway St. w

Read more…

The world is getting smaller thanks to modern technology; but unfortunately, aches and pains are growing as a result. The excessive use of mobile devices and incorrect posture while using smart phones and other gadgets or while sitting in front of a computer can lead to neck, back, wrist and even thumb pain, in addition to other musculoskeletal issues. The problem is becoming so widespread that earlier this year a spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that musculoskeletal injuries remain one of the biggest workplace health and safety problems in American industry.

“People will be delighted to learn that they can enjoy technology without experiencing pain,” says Dr. Rick McMichael, president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). “Our

Read more…